Madagascar is home to some unique and unusual species of fauna. The island is home to almost 25,000 species of wildlife, many of which are endangered. Over the past 2,000 years, Madagascar's biologically rich forests have been reduced by almost 90%, largely due to Agriculture and others commercial species activities such as logging.

The massive outbreak has brought several island animals to the brink of extinction. Lemurs, which exclusively inhabit Madagascar, are the most endangered and are listed on the Red List of Threatened Species. The bamboo lemur, named after its favorite food, is critically endangered because its habitat has been reduced to 4% of its original size.

Madagascar is located in the Indian Ocean on the southeast coast of Africa, and is the 4th largest island in the world. This is a place dominated by endemic species of animals and plants that are found nowhere else in the world. The island was isolated for several million years, allowing animals and plants to evolve and diversify in a small area.

About 170 million years ago, Madagascar was a landlocked territory within the continent of Gondwana. As a result of the movement of the earth's crust, Madagascar and India separated from South America and Africa, and then from Antarctica and Australia. Around 88 million years ago, India also separated from Madagascar, allowing animals on the island to evolve in relative isolation.

Lemurs

Lemurs are primates that look like an animal similar to a dog, cat and squirrel. They exhibit incredibly unique and exciting behavior, including singing sounds reminiscent of whales. Today there are more than thirty species of lemurs in Madagascar, ranging in size from the 25 g dwarf mouse lemur to the largest indri lemur weighing over 12 kg. Lemurs are one of the most endangered animals on the entire planet, and according to the IUCN Red List, they are considered critically endangered, with 22 species critically endangered; 48 species are endangered and 20 are vulnerable.

Fossa

The Fossa lives in the forests of Madagascar and is a close relative of the mongoose. It grows up to 1.8 m in length from tail to nose and weighs up to 12 kg. The animal has a slender body and looks more like a mongoose than a mongoose. The Fossa uses its long tail to move quickly through the trees. The animal is classified as a critically endangered species and is listed on the IUCN Red List due to its habitat loss. Today, less than 10% of Madagascar's original forest cover remains, which is also the only home of the fossa.

Madagascar comet

Madagascar comet ( Argema Mittrei) is one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world, found only in Madagascar. The wingspan can reach 20 cm. The insect has a bright yellow color and long “tails” on the lower wings. Females are wider, their wings are round, and their tail is shorter than that of males. Until now, these beautiful animals do not have protected status, and their population size has not been established.

Panther chameleon

The panther chameleon is endemic to Madagascar and other nearby islands. It has the most variety of colors of any chameleon and is most sought after by reptile traders. Like other chameleons, the panther chameleon has a raised nape. When hunting, it uses its tongue with a suction cup at the end. This species is least endangered.

Fantastic leaf-tailed gecko

Fantastic leaf-tailed gecko ( Uroplatus Phantasticus) is a stunning reptile that can camouflage itself in its environment. Its body is similar to dead leaves, which helps the animal hide from predators. The gecko is covered in patterned skin and its tail looks like it has been chewed by insects. All these features help it blend in well with the surrounding foliage. Fantastic leaf-tailed geckos vary widely in color, but they are generally brownish with some spots on the belly, which sets them apart from other similar species.

They are nocturnal reptiles with large eyes that are suitable for hunting insects in the dark. They also have sticky scales under their toes and strong claws that allow them to move quickly through trees. Geckos live in a specific habitat and are not tolerant of any changes. Due to their appearance, leaf-tailed geckos are beloved pets and are one of the best-selling species. Recently, there has been a decline in population numbers in the wild.

Tomato frog

Also known as tomato narrowmouth frogs, these frogs are found only in Madagascar, mainly in the northwestern part of the island. As a rule, they lead a terrestrial lifestyle and are common in forested areas. Due to deforestation, their habitat has been destroyed, but they appear to adapt well to changed conditions and can be found in gardens and plantations.

There are three types of tomato frogs: Dazzophus antongilli, Dyscophus guineti And Dyscophus insularis. Of the three, D.antogilli is endangered due to deforestation and trapping for keeping as pets. These frogs mate during the rainy season, in shallow, slow-moving water. They are brightly colored and can secrete a nasty substance when threatened, although it is not toxic but can irritate the mucous membrane.

Red foodie

Also called the Madagascar fody, this bird is native to Madagascar and other nearby islands such as the Comoros, Seychelles and Mauritius, and the species has recently been found as far away as the Arabian Peninsula. They grow to about 12.5-13.5 cm and weigh about 14-19 g. Males have bright plumage on the chest and head, while the wings, tail and eye area have dark feathers. The plumage varies widely from orange to yellowish, and during breeding the males molt and become olive-brown like the females. The species is least endangered.

Madagascar hissing cockroach

The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of the most fascinating endemic animal species on the island. It has an oval shape and a shiny brown body without wings, but with a pair of raised horns in the males. During conflicts, these insects hiss, which is how they got their name. Unlike most insects, which create noise through body parts or vibration, the Madagascar cockroach hisses by contracting its abdomen and forcing air through its spiracles. The insects can live from two to five years and grow up to 5-7 cm in length.

Madagascar bat

The Madagascar bat is a nocturnal primate that lives primarily in trees. Their thumbs and long tails allow them to stay comfortable in trees while they use their echolocation to find food such as insects. They also have sensitive large ears and eyes that help them find food. Because of their bizarre appearance, they were considered a bad omen among the locals of Madagascar. The species is on the verge of extinction.

Madagascar long-eared owl

This bird has a body length of about 50 cm, making it the largest owl on the island. Females are usually larger than males. The owl is characterized by a brownish crown on the top of its head. She also has a brown facial disc. The Madagascar owl is primarily nocturnal. The species is least endangered.

Striped tenrec

The striped tenrec is common in the lowland northern and eastern parts of Madagascar. The animal has a long pointed snout, vestigial tail and limbs. The muzzle is black with yellow stripes, and the body is covered with spines. The striped tenrec is active both during the day and at night and feeds mainly on insects. The long muzzle is designed mainly for digging in the ground in search of prey. They can also feed on worms, small fish and even frogs. Tenrecs mainly breed in October and December depending on the availability of food. The gestation period is 58 days and the female can give birth to up to eight cubs. The species is of least concern.

Black mantella

Known as Mantella madagascariensis, the black mantella is a brightly colored frog with green, black, yellow or orange colors. The species is found only in eastern and central Madagascar. These frogs live in tropical forests bordering freshwater bodies. They can tolerate moderate temperatures between 24ºC and 27ºC during the day and slightly lower at night. The black mantella is a carnivorous animal that primarily feeds on insects. Frogs are active during the day, usually occupying small territories. The bright body color acts as a warning of danger to any predator. The species is in a vulnerable position.

Madagascar is the largest and most interesting island on the African coast. It stretches for almost 2000 km and has an area of ​​590,000 km2. The island is mountainous, its nature is very diverse. There are coral reefs, mangrove forests, tropical forests, savannas, shrubby semi-savannas, and even its own desert with dunes. Madagascar separated from Africa a very long time ago, about 20 million years ago, so many of its own species of animals formed here.

The bird fauna of Madagascar consists not only of African, but also of Asian. There are 157 bird species in Madagascar, not counting wintering and visiting birds. They belong to 15 orders and 49 families, of which 6 are endemic (Madagascar rails, ground rakshas, ​​curolas, Madagascar pittas, or filepittas, red-billed nuthatches and vangas). There are also endemic species.

Order Grebes(Podicipediformes)
Sem. Grebes (Podicipedidae)
There are 2 types of grebes found on the island's reservoirs. One is the widespread little grebe, and the other is the endemic Madagascar grebe.

Order Copepods(Pelecaniformes)
Sem. Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Sem. Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)
Sem. Anhingidae
Madagascar is home to the African pelican, the African cormorant and the widespread darter.

Order Leaf-shaped(Ciconiformes)
Sem. Herons (Ardeidae)
Sem. Storks (Ciconiidae)
Sem. Ibis (Threskiornithidae)
There are 5 species of herons in Madagascar, 3 of them are endemic.
Two species of storks also live in Africa, and of the four species of ibis, one - the Madagascar ibis - is endemic.

Order Anseriformes(Anseriformes)
Sem. Ducks (Anatidae)
There are 7 species of ducks on the island, one species - the Madagascar pochard - is endemic to the island.

Order Diurnal birds of prey(Falconiformes)
Sem. Accipitridae (Accipitridae)
Sem. Falconidae
Of the 7 species of hawks in Madagascar, 6 species are endemic, and 1 species is also found in the Comoros Islands. There are 2 species of falcons - the common kestrel and the endemic Madagascar kestrel.

Order Craniformes(Gruiformes)
Sem. Madagascar rails (Mesitornithidae)
Sem. Threefingers (Turnicidae)
Sem. Railidae
The endemic family of Madagascan rails, or ptarmigans, includes 3 species, distributed in the savannas and forests of the island. These are thrush-sized birds that live in forests, bushes and groves of savannas. They collect food on the ground, fly weakly... “The partridge is quite common in large forests along the eastern slope of the central mountain range of Madagascar. Here these birds stay on the ground, quickly stopping as they move to look around and watch out for danger. They don't fly at all, but they run fast... The food of these birds is insects, mainly ants. The nest is made on the ground from pandan stems and leaves" (Menzbier, 1909).

One endemic Madagascar threefingers lives here. There are 6 species of rails, of which 5 species are endemic, and one species is also found on the islands of Mauritius and Aldabra.

Order Charadriiformes(Charadriiformes)
Sem. Colored snipe (Rostratulidae)
Sem. Charadriids (Charadriidae)
Sem. Snipe (Scolopacidae)
Sem. Tircusaceae (Glareolidae)
Sem. Gulls (Laridae)
Colored snipe are a widespread species; plovers - an endemic species - the black-banded plover; snipe - the endemic Madagascar snipe; Tirkushki - Madagascar tirkushki, also found in East Africa. There is only 1 species of gulls - the widespread sooty tern.

Order Pigeonidae(Columbiformes)
Sem. Sandgrouse (Pteroclidae)
Sem. Pigeons (Columbidae)
Of the sandgrouses, the endemic masked sandgrouse lives in Madagascar, and of the pigeons, there is 1 endemic species and 3 species are also common on the neighboring islands.

Order Parrots(Psittaciformes)
Sem. Parrots (Psittacidae)
There are 3 species of parrots on the island, 1 species - the gray-headed lovebird - endemic and 2 species of vase parrots (small and large) also live on the Comoros Islands.

Order Cuckooformes(Cuculiformes)
Sem. Cuckoos (Cuculidae)
There are 13 species of cuckoos in Madagascar, of which the genus Koua, with 10 species, is endemic.

Order Owls(Strigiformes)
Sem. Barn owls (Tytonidae)
Sem. True owls (Strigidae)
Barn owls are represented by one endemic species, and of the four species of true owls, two species are endemic to Madagascar.

Order Nightjars(Caprimulgiformes)
Sem. True nightjars (Caprimulgidae)
The island is home to 2 endemic species of nightjars.

Order Swift-shaped(Apodiformes)
Sem. True swifts (Apodidae)
Of the two types of swifts common on the island, 1 species is endemic to the island.

Order Coraciiformes(Coraciiformes)
Sem. Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
Sem. Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
Sem. True rakshi (Coraciidae)
Sem. Ground rakshas (Brachypteraciidae)
Sem. Kurolidae (Leptosomatidae)
Sem. Udopodae (Upupidae)
There are 2 species of kingfishers in Madagascar, one of them is the Madagascar dwarf kingfisher, which is endemic.
Bee-eater is one species that also lives in Africa.
Of the true rakshas, ​​the African broadmouth lives in Madagascar.
Ground rakshas are an endemic family with 5 species. These are birds the size of a jackdaw, living along the edges of forests, clearings and thickets of bushes. They nest in burrows, niches under tree roots, etc. They collect food on the ground. They feed on various invertebrates, small reptiles and frogs.
Curolaceae are an endemic family of Madagascar found only in the Comoros Islands, with a single species, the curol, or kirumbo. Kurol is a bird the size of a jackdaw or slightly larger. The general coloring is light gray; the male has a green-red metallic sheen on his dark back and shoulders. Kurols live in forests, usually along the edges. They live in flocks in the crowns of trees. During the current, the male flies high into the air and from there, with folded wings, rushes down, emitting a low whistle. Kurol feeds on various insects, collecting them on trees.
The widespread common hoopoe also lives in Madagascar. .

Order Passerines(Passeriformes)
Sem. Madagascar pittas, or filepittas (Philepittidae) - 4 species
Sem. Larks (Alaudidae) – 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Swallows (Hirundinidae) – 2 species
Sem. Wagtails (Motacillidae) - 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Drongidae (Dicruridae) - 1 species, also found only in the Comoros Islands
Sem. Red-billed nuthatches (Hyposittidae) - 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Timaliidae - 6 species (endemics)
Sem. Larva-eaters (Campephagidae) - 1 species
Sem. Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) - 8 species (7 species are endemic)
Sem. Thrushes (Turdidae) - 3 species (endemics)
Sem. Warblers (Sylviidae) - 6 species (endemics)
Sem. Flycatchers (Muscicapidae) - 6 species (endemics)
Sem. Vans (Vangidae) - 12 species (endemics)
Sem. Starlings (Sturnidae) – 1 species (endemic)
Sem. Sunbirds (Nectarinidae) – 2 species
Sem. White-eyes (Zosteropidae) - 2 species (1 species is endemic)
Sem. Weavers (Ploceidae) - 5 species (4 species are endemic)
Madagascar pittas, or filepittas, members of the calling passerines, are an endemic family. It includes 2 genera of birds, differing sharply in appearance. Filepittas are densely built birds with a short tail and a strong beak. Males are predominantly black, females are greyish-green. Above the eye there is bright bare skin. False sunbirds are small birds with a long, curved beak and a bright yellow-blue coloration.
Philepittas feed on small fruits; false sunbirds - small insects, nectar and pollen. They live in humid forests.
The red-billed nuthatch is the only species of the red-billed nuthatch family - a small, brightly colored bird with a red beak. He lives in forests, staying in the crowns of trees, where he climbs trunks and branches. It feeds on various insects.
The van family is also endemic. It includes 12 species of birds, sharply differing in the shape of their beaks, which in some species are short and swollen, in others they are similar to the beaks of tits, in others they are long and sickle-shaped.
Vangas live in various forests. They stay in flocks. They feed on various insects, spiders, terrestrial mollusks, some species eat fruits, and large species can catch small vertebrates.
Nests are placed in trees.
Vangas, just like Galapagos finches and Hawaiian flower girls, - good example adaptations of a group of birds living in isolation. Different beak shapes allow birds to obtain food in different ways, which leads to less competition.

Of the birds, Madagascar is characterized by six endemic families: Madagascar rails (lat. Mesitornithidae) - birds the size of a thrush, unable to fly, two genera and three species; dodo; two genera, three species of which were exterminated in the 17th century, the sacred ibis Threskiornis bernieri, five species of ground rakshas (lat. Brachyptericias) and four species of fillepittaceae; monotypic family of red-billed nuthatches; and vans - nine to eleven genera with 11-14 species. Such widespread groups as sparrows, tits, buntings, shrikes, and true finches are absent. The modern bird fauna is no less interesting, although it would seem that only 258 species are found here, 115 of them are, again, endemic (36 genera and 5 families are endemic).

Among the local birds, noteworthy is the piebald raven - Corvus albus, remarkable in its plumage, small and with a weak beak, distributed throughout Africa south of 18 degrees north latitude and in Madagascar. It is shiny black in color, but has a wide, dazzling white stripe on the chest, belly and lower part of the back of the head. Dark feathers sparkle, light feathers shine like satin. The eyes are light brown. The beak and legs are black. This bird resembles a magpie not only with its plumage, but also with its cheerful disposition.

Madagascar black crake

Madagascar black crake - Amaurornis olivieri

Grey-headed lovebird

There are 3 species of parrots on the island, 1 species is the grey-headed lovebird Agapornis canus- endemic and 2 species of vase parrots (small and large) also live on the Comoros Islands. Ythfpkexybr is a large parrot with a body length of 14 cm. The color of the plumage is mainly green. The back and wings are dark green, the lower part of the body is light green. The upper chest, neck and head of males are light gray. They nest in hollows or nests of other birds. Construction material the female carries it, tucked into the plumage of her back.

Of the sandgrouses, the endemic masked sandgrouse lives in Madagascar, and of the pigeons, there is 1 endemic species and 3 species are also common on the neighboring islands. Madagascar Blue Pigeon - Alectroenas madagascariensis, Madagascar Dove - Streptopelia picturata, Madagascar Green Fruit Pigeon - Treron australis. Green pigeons are inconspicuous among the foliage of tropical and subtropical trees, although most species live in flocks. The green color of the plumage is associated with the structure of the feather; their grooves have numerous tubercles containing lens-shaped grains of green pigment. They evenly scatter the reflected green color in all directions, which camouflages the pigeons among the trees.
When kept in a cage, the pigments in the plumage are usually destroyed, and the color becomes gray over time with white spots and a yellowish tint.

There are 13 species of cuckoos in Madagascar, of which the genus Koua Coua with 10 species it is endemic. These large birds build in trees or bushes and raise their young themselves. All types of coua, although relict, are quite common on the island, except for coua delalandei. The snail-eating cuckoo Coua delalandei is one of the 50 rarest birds in the world.

Of the true cuckoos, the local (nominate) subspecies of the thick-billed cuckoo, Pachycoccyx audeberti audeberti, which is widespread in the forests of West Africa, lives in Madagascar. There is no reason yet to say that the thick-billed cuckoo has become extinct on the island, but it is possible that it is endangered.

blue cuckoo

Madagascar eagles

Madagascan eagles Haliaeetus vociferoides nest on a high tree - there are less than a hundred of them left in the world. In its general appearance and relatively short white tail, the Madagascar eagle resembles (especially in flight) our white-tailed eagle, but is somewhat smaller. The general body color of adult birds is reddish-brown with blurred longitudinal dark spots, the cheeks and tail are white; the top of the head is much lighter and has small speckles, and the flight feathers are almost black; a small cere of a yellowish color, a gray beak. These birds, like our eagles, build rather bulky nests, in which sometimes 1-3 (usually 2) eggs are laid for a number of years in a row.

At the end of the last and at the beginning of this century, the Madagascar eagle nested both off the coast of the island and in its depths, near large lakes and rivers. Back in the 30s, A. Rand considered these birds to be common on the northwestern coast, but by now their numbers have decreased so much that only isolated pairs are known to be encountered on the entire island.

Until 1930, in the humid evergreen tropical forests of the eastern coast of Madagascar (from Farafangan to the city of Marouane), the Madagascar snake eagle (Eutriorchis astur), the only representative of an endemic monotypic genus, nested. It differs from our snake eagle in its smaller size, long, somewhat rounded tail and color: the brown back, wings and tail have a transverse pattern of black stripes, and the head and entire bottom have narrow white stripes, wider towards the undertail; legs are bright yellow. Unfortunately, nothing is known about the Madagascar snake eagle; only a few specimens are kept in collections. The last time two birds were seen and killed was in 1930 near the Marouane center. There is hope that this species still exists, although the forests in which it lived have been mostly destroyed.

Family Philepittaceae

Family Philepittidae, or Madagascar pittidae - Philepittidae - rare birds. Plump, with strong legs, they feed on fruits and berries. Some have shiny blue plumage with a yellow chest and belly, with large spots around the eyes, which are absent in females. These birds move slowly from branch to branch in search of insects. Sometimes they drink nectar from flowers with a bell-shaped corolla.

The velvety filepitta (Philepitta castanea), a squat, solitary bird, searches for fruit in the undergrowth and forest edges. This dark, faded bird has a brighter relative among the island's smallest birds - the blue-and-yellow yellow sunbird (Neodrepanis hypoxantha) with a small beak. The false nectary, when it hovers around a flower in the depths of a tropical rainforest, collecting nectar from its calyx with the help of a long curved beak, is very reminiscent of a hummingbird.

Madagascar barn owl

One of the subspecies of barn owls also lives in Madagascar. An endemic species, the Madagascar barn owl (Tuto soumagnei), also lives on this island. It is much smaller than the common barn owl, reddish-yellow in color with sparse spots and the longest tail, longer than all other barn owl species. The last known specimens of the Madagascar barn owl for scientific collections were obtained in 1929 and 1930; in 1973, information was received about the sighting of this species in the dense forest of the Fierinana region. It is hoped that the Madagascar barn owl, although critically endangered, is not yet extinct.

Red-billed nuthatch

The red-billed nuthatch is the only species of the red-billed nuthatch family Nuposittidae- a small bird of bright color, with a red beak. He lives in forests, staying in the crowns of trees, where he climbs trunks and branches. It feeds on various insects.

Red cardinal

Madagascar cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis, distinguished by its magnificent purple plumage in winter and spring, the color of the male is bright crimson, with a black “mask” on the face. The color of the female is dominated by grayish-brown tones, with reddish feathers on the wings, chest and crest, with a less pronounced “mask” than the male. The bird is modest, hiding in the foliage. They are called red sparrows, but there are no sparrows in Madagascar.

In the order Coraciiformes Coraciiformes there is a small (5 species) family of ground rakshas Brachypteraciidae who live only in Madagascar. These birds, the size of a jackdaw and with rather short wings, lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle. They live along the edges of forests, clearings and thickets of bushes. They nest in burrows, niches under tree roots, etc. They collect food on the ground. They feed on various invertebrates, small reptiles and frogs. The distribution of almost all of these endemic species is limited to the east and northeast of the island. The forests in which earthen rakshas live have been destroyed in some places and greatly changed in others, which could not but affect the state of the populations of these birds: their numbers undoubtedly continue to decline.

There are 2 species of kingfishers in Madagascar, one of them is the Madagascar dwarf kingfisher, which is endemic.

Madascar teal

Madascar Teal - Anas bernieri - This 40 to 45 cm long duck is predominantly deep brown all over with prominent black teeth, stronger on the flanks and chest. She has a black mirror, and her pinkish-gray beak is slightly upturned. Endemic to Madagascar, living only along the western ocean coast. It prefers mangrove forests and decisively leaves these dwellings when it finds open shallows of ponds and lakes, preferring brackish ones.

Madagascar pond heron

Madagascar Pond Heron - Ardeola idea

Rufous Pelican

The tawny pelican, Pelecanus rufescens, nests in lakes and swamps throughout sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in southern Arabia and Madagascar. Very similar to the pink pelican, but a little smaller, darker and a pinkish-red tint appears on its back during the mating season.

Nesting colonies of tawny pelicans are located in trees, most often on baobab trees. For some reason, they prefer to build their nests in trees far from water, and the birds have to bring food to the chicks from afar. Their nests are often located mixed with the nests of marabou or other heron birds.